


Polka Dots

by icepixie



Category: The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
Genre: Dancing, F/M, Humor, UST
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-06-01
Updated: 2003-06-01
Packaged: 2017-10-03 15:31:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icepixie/pseuds/icepixie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A boring party is livened up by a certain dance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Polka Dots

**Author's Note:**

> I know that the galop was more popular in England at the time than polka, but having had all kinds of fun doing polka in competition, I couldn't resist having a little fun with it on paper...

The party, Rebecca Fogg reflected, was so close to dead that all it lacked was a grave. She usually didn't mind these diplomatic affairs that Chatsworth ordered her to attend, but this was definitely the geriatric edition. Besides Phileas, Jules, Passepartout, and herself, she hadn't seen one person at the ball who was under fifty. If she heard one more tired old waltz...

With an abrupt change in mood, the band began to play a polka. It took a moment for the couples to blink themselves out of the stupor caused by the last several slower songs, but most of those on the floor started the almost-skipping steps of the dance. Rebecca looked at Jules, who was standing beside her and watching the dancers. "Do you know polka?"

"I've danced it once or twice, but I'm not very--"

His sentence was cut off as Rebecca grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the floor. After a moment to place their hands correctly, they were off in the same direction as the others, losing themselves in the whirling mass.

After the somnolence of the preceding hours, the fast tempo was dizzying and exhilarating. Both Jules and Rebecca had smiles on their faces from the first few steps, and when Jules pulled her into a spin, Rebecca couldn't help the laugh that escaped, breathlessly, from her lips. Jules' abortive claim of not being very good at the dance was obviously not true, she thought. Then again, it was rather difficult to be bad at polka. As long as you didn't trip yourself or your partner, you were doing pretty well.

During the dance, Phileas and Passepartout watched from the sidelines, attempting to keep track of Jules and Rebecca. They kept disappearing, then reappearing in the whirl of hoop skirts and dark suits. They certainly looked like they were having fun, Phileas mused as he watched Jules pull Rebecca toward him so that she wouldn't crash into another couple. It was a long moment before the slight space that had been between them reappeared. Maybe a little too much fun, Phileas thought, a frown creasing his brow.

Just as everyone was about to collapse, the song ended, and the musicians announced that there would be a short break. Everyone on the floor seemed rather relieved at that prospect.

Jules took Rebecca's hand and led her off the floor. Both were flushed and glowing with the exertion. As they made their way towards Phileas and Passepartout, Rebecca gave Jules a dazzling smile that made his stomach flutter. In a stage whisper, she told him, "I'm so glad you're here. Phileas never does anything except waltz. Between you and me, I don't think he knows any of the others." Jules chuckled along with her as they approached the cousin in question, who merely raised an eyebrow at their mirth.

"Jules, Miss Rebecca, that was beautiful! Very...hoppy. Like rabbits," Passepartout complimented them. Exchanging glances, Jules and Rebecca thanked him, smothering giggles at the valet's choice of words and phrasing.

Rebecca knew that she should use this break to make conversation with the various diplomats in the room. Much as she had enjoyed her dance with Jules, that was not the point of the evening. A little sadly, she began to take her leave of the three men around her. Before she walked away, though, she paused and looked thoughtfully at Jules.

"Since you're good at polka, you can't be bad at waltz, Jules," she said. The young writer blushed and started to wave off the compliment, but she wouldn't let him. "Given the tone of this affair, I'm sure there'll be more. Will you save me one?" She smiled at him, knowing quite well what the effect would be.

Jules, of course, couldn't refuse her anything, especially when she smiled like that. "Certainly, Rebecca."

With another smile that made his heart flutter, she left to talk to the British foreign minister. Jules became lost in thought as he wondered about the waltz he had promised her. There was no doubt, with Rebecca as his partner, that it would prove to be quite interesting indeed.


End file.
